CAL 2: Connecting with a Recovery Program

What It Takes to Change a Life (CAL)

Dr. Joseph White & the FFL Team

“I looked at myself and realized I was worth it”

For Jamie B, that was the thought that set his recovery in motion – “I’m gonna have to retrain myself because I’m a different person when I use, and I can’t be that person if I’m sober.  After you’ve been that person for a long time, there’s a lot of work involved” (2022).  At that moment he looked at himself and his life and realized he could be more.  It was the start of his journey.  It was the beginning of an internal desire to be sober, to be healthy, and to change.  So where does one go when he or she is ready to change?

Apply for Help

Applications for MentorWorks (mwut.org) and Redwood Recovery (rr.fflut.org) are online and very simple to complete (click link or go to website).  MentorWorks Healthy Transition Homes (sober living) supports clients by offering a drug and alcohol free living environment, peer support groups, case management services, bus/transportation passes, and other resources designed to assist in building a healthy life.  Redwood Recovery intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment provides frequent drug testing and offers individual counseling as well as therapy and education groups (e.g., relapse prevention, process groups, life skills, long term recovery, family life, etc.).

MentorWorks and Redwood Recovery offer a good fit for many clients.  Many are referred by peers or family members, others are referred by their probation or parole officers, or may even be court-ordered.  Social media posts (see our Facebook and Instagram pages), community activities, and local marriage and family enrichment classes also help people find our services. 

Incarcerated individuals often send initial letters inquiring about our program (since they don’t have access to the internet in jail or prison) – in which case we mail them an application (we need full name, inmate number, and incarceration facility).  Family members are welcome to submit an application on behalf of their incarcerated loved one (they simply sign at the bottom under “Proxy”).  Part of the process involves obtaining a background check to determine fit with our program and direct follow-up correspondence with the individual seeking information.  

Finding True Recovery

Recovery is defined as “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential” (SAMHSA, 2021).  Once a person decides they want to change, the challenge then becomes finding the tools, resources, and maybe even a program to help them accomplish their recovery goals.  There are a variety of program options and paths that may help individuals achieve lasting sobriety.  Our program works for those who are ready to change, who are willing to follow through and work a full program, who want a spiritual foundation (meaning connection, not necessarily religion), and who are willing to be held accountable in their recovery journey.  

“My recovery from drug addiction is the single greatest accomplishment of my life… but it takes work — hard, painful work.  But the help is there, in every town and career, drug/drink freed members of society from every single walk and talk of life to help and guide”  – Jamie Lee Curtis (Recovery, L, 2018).

Gardens & Growth

Just like recovery, gardens require significant work and yet provide beautiful results.  This summer we planted gardens at each of our healthy transition homes with the help of local volunteers.  “Watching something grow is good for morale.  It helps us believe in life” (Kaufmann).  We are excited for the morale and belief these gardens will generate as new clients transition into our homes straight from incarceration.  Join us in watching the miracle of growth in both gardens and men!

Our Invitation

The path to sobriety is difficult, but there is hope!  Programs like MentorWorks and Redwood Recovery have been developed specifically to create hope for those who need it most.  We invite you to become part of the “greatest success story” ever told, or as Jamie Lee Curtis put it, “the single greatest accomplishment” of your life or the life of your loved one.  Become part of a recovery journey that lasts a lifetime.  Become part of our recovery community by reaching out and contacting us.  Get the help you and your loved one needs now.  Share your story in the comments below. 

See Other Blogs in our “Change a Life” Series:

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